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Bogaerts Hits Grand Slam, Sox Beat Rays 8-7

BOSTON -- Shortstop Xander Bogaerts hit a go-ahead grand slam in the eighth inning, and the Boston Red Sox escaped the American League East cellar with a wild, 8-7 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night.

The win came on a night when both the Rays and Red Sox were officially eliminated from winning the division by virtue of the Toronto Blue Jays' victory over the New York Yankees. Both Boston and Tampa Bay are technically alive in the AL wild-card chase.

Bogaerts, who doubled home a run in the seventh, connected on a 2-2 pitch from Brandon Gomes (2-6) for his first career grand slam, capping his career-high, five-RBI night.

Tampa Bay (72-78) led 3-1 before the Red Sox scored three in the seventh. The Rays came right back with three in the top of the eighth before Boston struck again to win its third straight and get to within five games of the .500 mark for the first time since July 12. The Red Sox (72-77) are a game behind the Baltimore Orioles for third place.

Left-hander Xavier Cedeno struck out the first two batters in the bottom of the eighth but then hit center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. with a pitch. Gomes came on and gave up a single to right fielder Mookie Betts before second baseman Dustin Pedroia reached on his third hit of the night, a single to deep short.

Bogaerts, who now has 78 RBIs on the season, then came through with his seventh homer.

Right-hander Jean Machi (1-0) got the win after retiring the only two batters he faced. Left-hander Robbie Ross Jr. recorded his third save in as many days, his fifth of the season, but it wasn't easy. Tampa Bay designated hitter Richie Shaffer homered with one out in the ninth, but Ross got out of the inning to end it.

Outfielder Grady Sizemore, who entered the game as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning, doubled home two runs in the three-run eighth that gave the Rays the lead.

Second baseman Logan Forsythe, who had an RBI single in a three-run first inning, capped the eighth-inning rally with a sacrifice fly.

Neither starting pitchers was involved in the decision. Tampa Bay's Chris Archer pitched five innings of one-run ball, while Boston's Eduardo Rodriguez allowed three runs in six innings.

Outfielder Brandon Guyer paced the Rays with three hits.

NOTES: Former teammates Pedro Martinez, Tim Wakefield and Jason Varitek were on the field for pregame ceremonies honoring David Ortiz's 500th home run. Ortiz reached 500 with a pair in a game at Tampa Bay on Sept. 12. The Rays were on hand for the ceremony Monday. "We're happy for him, we'd just rather not have it come against us," said Rays manager and one-time Ortiz teammate Kevin Cash. ... Former Red Sox OF Daniel Nava made his first return to Fenway with the Rays. "I didn't know where to go," he said. ... Rays LHP Jake McGee, rehabbing from August knee surgery, will throw a simulated game at Fenway Park on Wednesday. He hopes to be available to pitch for Tampa Bay on Saturday. ... Rookie LHP Henry Owens goes for the Red Sox against LHP Matt Moore in Tuesday night's second game of the four-game series.

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